Award Medals

This medal's obverse bears three robed female figures, two seated ones flanking standing one in the middle. In exergue, incuse inscription: DESMOND FITZGERALD MEDAL / INSTITUTED 1910

The reverse bears laurel branches behind ninscribed cartouche at bottom. Around, BOSTON SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS; in center field, AWARDED / FOR BEST ESSAY / IN ENGINEERING / TO

This beautiful medal was commissioned by Desmond Fitzgerald, a past President of the Society, to honor the author of the best paper published by a member of the Society during the year ending in the month of September. He donated the tidy sum of $2,000 to fund the medal. He reasoned that a medal wold be the best form for such a prize because the prize should be valued not for its intrinsic worth but solely as

"a testimonial that the holder of it has contributed something which his fellow members consider of great value to the engineering profession also that the evidence of having received such an award will be more available and less likely to be deposited where it can seldom be seen if the medal is of bronze rather than of precious metal."

The medal has a diameter of 76.3mm and was struck in bronze by the U.S. Mint. Mint records indicate that 18 pieces were struck at the order of Brenner in November of 1911.

The medal's obverse bears portraits of Ida Straus at left and and Isidor Straus at right, both in circular fields. Below fields, the couple's birthdays and their death day, - FEBRVARY SIXTH 1849 - and - FEBRVARY SIXTH 1849 - / APRIL FITEENTH NINETEEN HVNDRED AND TWELVE; signed at bottom right, L LENTELLI

The medal's reverse reads ISIDOR AND IDA STRAUS / JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, BROOKLYN, NY / AWARDED TO / (inscribed to HELEN WEISS) / FOR SETTING AN EXAMPLE / OF CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT AND / LOYALTY TO SCHOOL AND AMERICAN IDEALS

Isidor Straus was a German-American businessman and, together with his brother Nathan, co-owner of department store Macy's. He also served briefly as a member of the United States House of Representatives. He died with his wife, Ida, in the sinking of the passenger ship RMS Titanic.

The rectangular medal measures 100.8mm x 73.6mm and was struck in bronze by the Gorham Company of Providence, Rhode Island.  No mintage is reported.

This medal's obverse bears the seal of New York City. Around, · INTERNATIONAL ···· PHILATELIC · EXHIBITION · NEW · YORK · / MCMXIII; signed over roman year numerals, MAX BACHMANN.

The reverse bears a palm frond at left. On right side, AWARDED / TO / (cartouche) / FOR / (cartouche) / MCMXIII

Max Bachman also created a souvenir medal for the Exhibition's official banquet which was held on October 30, 1913. It shares this medal's obverse but has a different legend on the reverse.

The circular medals measure 41mm in diameter. I have seen both a silver and a gold award medal from this event.  I assume that bronzes were struck as well but I do not know this for sure. No mintages are reprorted.

References:   Baxter 304, MACo 1914-011, Marqusee 338

The medal's obverse bears seated female figure, arm raised in appeal to standing female figure. Around, NON SCHOLAE SED VITAE; signed at bottom, H. Schuler 1914

The reverse bears open book with rose across. In central bar, PEABODY MEDAL; inscrobed and dated at top and bottom, DOROTHY HOWARD / 1925

The Latin phrase "NON SCHOLAE SED VITAE" is the short form of a phrase that first appeared in Seneca's letters. It roughly translates to "We do not learn for school, but for life."

The Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University was founded in 1857 and is the oldest conservatory in the United States.

References:   MACo 1914-003

The uniface medal's obverse depicts a young woman sketching. Around, SCHOOL ART LEAG-UE OF NEW YORK CITY; on foot rest, FOR MERIT; in exergue, 19 (JF monogram) 15

The edge bears maker's mark MEDALLIC ART CO. N.Y.

The medal is also known as the John W. Alexander Medal. Alexander (1856-1915) was a painter and illustrator who died in 1915 and was commemorated by this medal.

The medal measures 68mm in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York. Its mintage is not reported.

References:   Baxter 155, MACo 1915-002, Marqusee 154

References:   MACo 1916-005

The medal's obverse bears nude male figure, kneeling, facing right, holding bow in left hand, cloak draped over arm; heavily beaded border around. At left, TO KAΛΛINIKON.

The reverse bears Roman helmet with horse design. Across, YALE - UNI-/VERSITY · / HENRY · ELIAS - HOWLAND / MEMORIAL MEDAL

Yale University's Henry Howland Memorial Prize was created in 1915 for a "citizen of any country in recognition of some achievement of marked distinction in the field of literature or fine arts or the science of government." The idealistic quality of the recipient's work is an important factor in his selection.

The award was established in honor of Henry Elias Howland (1835–1913), a member of the Yale class of 1854, by a donation of $15,000 by his children Charles P. Howland (Yale 1891), Dr. John Howland (Yale 1894), and Frances Howland. The prize has generally been awarded every two years. Henry Elias Howland was a Justice and a member of the Yale Corporation. He also served as President of the Yale Club in New York City and the Descendants of the Mayflower organization.

The obverse legend TO KAΛΛINIKON might refer to a battle between the Byzantine empire and an invading Persian army near the city of Kallinikon. General Belisarius saved the day by crossing the Euphrates on boat to rally fleeing Roman troops and turn the tide of battle.

The circular medal measures 72.9mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

Many thanks to the Numismatics department of the Yale University Art Gallery for their generosity and support in making this medal available to me for research.

References:   MACo 1917-018

The medal's obverse bears three figures facing left, nude winged male in center, holding laurel crowns in both hands, flanked by women wearing toga-like dresses; woman at right holding what appears to be an apple. Signed with artists (EZ monogram) on small shield at lower left.

The reverse bears legend only. In center field within decorative border, THE / MR AND MRS / FRANK G LOGAN / MEDAL / AWARDED TO / CHARLES LOCKE / 1935; around, THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

Charles Wheeler Locke (1899-1983) was a painter, lithographer, illustrator and teacher.  He was born in Cincinatti, Ohio on August 31, 1899. He studied at the Cincinatti Art Academy and the New York Art Students' League with Joseph Pennell. He was a teacher at the Art Students' League when he won this award.

The medal is a beautiful example of late art nouveau, early art deco design. In my opinion, Zettler's medallic works are easily on a par with the works of the best French and American artists of the period.

The circular medal measures 75mm in diameter and was struck in bronze by the Medallic Art Company of New York. No mintage is reported.

References:   MACo 1919-002

The octagonal medal's obverse bears bearded male figure rendered in Assyrian style holding scepters or staffs in each hand, seated on ornamented chair, facing right. To his right, arranged in rhombic
shape, (kuneiform) / Α Ρ / Χ Α Ι / Ο Λ Ο / Γ Ι Α / (kuneiform); signed in half circle under bottom kuneiform, A LAESSLE ∙; all surrounded by ornamental border combining Greek, Egyptian, and Assyrianstyles; all bordered by raised rim.

The reverse bears two stylized branches flanking legend, THE / UNIVERSITY ∙ OF / PENNSYLVANIA /
FOR MERIT IN ARCHI / TECTURAL ORNAMENT / 1938 / BRYDEN BORDLEY HYDE

Bryden Bordley Hyde (1914-2001) was a Baltimore architect who became well-known for his efforts in preservation. In 1961 he took apart his family's 22-room, mid-19th-century home, Evesham, and moved it from Govans to Gibson Island. When demolition threatened a Bladensburg mansion built in 1749 and once owned by Dr. David Ross, a surgeon in George Washington's army, Hyde helped dismantle it and rebuild it in Cockeysville. He stuck the 22,000 original bricks back together with mortar made with a historically accurate additive: oyster shells. Both projects brought him awards from the Baltimore chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

He fought in World War II as a captain in the 8th Armored Division and was an avid collector of antiques, a hobby he managed to pursue, according to family lore, even under enemy shelling.

Albert Laessle created a little gem with this medal.  He married the medal's design perfectly to its purpose. While no mintage is reported, the bronze variant seems to be pretty rare. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is in posession of a silver variant that came from Albert Laessle's family and is probably even rarer.

The octagonal medal measures approximately 51mm x 51mm and was struck in bronze and silver by Jos. K. Davison of Philadelphia.

Many thanks to Peter James Fowler who took the beautiful images of the bronze medal. He runs two eBay stores at jamcupboard and woodenships7.